Designated Flight VS05 in Arianespace’s numbering system, the launch will be the first for O3b Networks as it builds a satellite constellation to provide low-cost, high-speed, low latency Internet and mobile connectivity to billions of consumers and businesses in nearly 180 countries.

Arianespace will perform three Soyuz flights for O3b Networks, each carrying a cluster of four satellites. Two of these missions are planned in 2013, followed by the third next year.